Electromagnetic counting device and contact bank



R. P. ARTHUR July 22, 1958 ELE:mvRow/Iwamsw1c` COUNTING DEVICEAND CONTACT BANK original Filed-Nov. 17, 1951 2 sheets-sheet 1 m .GE

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United States Patenti() n ELECTROMAGNETIC COUNTING DEVICE AND CONTACT BANK Richard P. Arthur, Hinsdale, Ill., assignor, by mesne assignments, to International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation, a corporation of Maryland Original application November 17, 1951, Serial No. 256,888. Divided and this application July 5, 1955, Serial No. 519,791

2 Claims. (Cl. 200--104) This invention relates to an electromagnetic counting device and contact bank. Its main object is to'provide an improved form of device of this character for counting a received series of electrical impulses and for Icontrolling the contact sets in its contact bank etiiciently and reliably in accordance with the number of received impulses.

This application is a division of my application for an Electromagnetic Counting Device, Serial Number 256,888, filed November 17, 1951, now Patent No. 2,736,845, dated February 28, 1956.

The features covered in this divisional application reside in improvements in the bank of contact blades and include (1) simple and effective structure for adjustably supporting the free end of the Xed contact blades with respect to the normal position of the members through which they are actuated by armature movement, and include (2) a simplified and reliable arrangement for controlling the contact blades of a stackup which includes a break pair and a make pair.

The above-mentioned and other features and objects of this invention and the manner of attaining them will become more apparent, and the invention itself will be best understood, by referenceto the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken` in conjunction with the accompanying drawings comprising Figs. 1 to 6, wherein:

Figs. l to 3 are respectively a top View, a side view, and a front view of the improved counting device; and

Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are respectively similar views with certain parts removed.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 3, the improved counting device includes a generally rectangular magnetic structure of which magnetic return plate 1 comprises the rear limb and the upper limb; ten armatures A1 to A10 comprise the front limb; and electromagnet 2 and actuating pole member 3 comprise the lower limb.

As best seen in Figs. 2 and 6, the single electromagnet 2 includes the relatively wide, iiat core 9, a rectangular rear spool head 10, an oval front spool head 11, and a winding 12 wound between the spool heads. The rear spool head is provided with winding terminals 14. Electromagnet 2 is secured to return plate 1 by a pair of screws 13. l

L-shaped actuating pole member 3 is secured to the front pole face of core 9 by screws 28 (Figs. 2 and 3), which also retain the L-shaped non-magnetic armatureguide comb 27. Parts 18, 19, and 6 which form the restraining-pole branch are secured to the horizontal lower limb of pole member 3 by screws 20. Screws 24 secure the non-magnetic backstop comb 23 to the outside vertical face of member 6.

Each armature A1 to A10 has an opening for receiving pivot rod 31',- as seen best in Fig. 5. Pivot rod 31 2,844,686 Patented July 22, 1958 ice 2 is held by each of the eleven curled-over teeth-like projections on the magnetic pivot bracket 30, between which the ten armatures rest. Bracket 30 is held in place by counter-sunk screws 32 (Fig. 5) which pass through tapped openings in the bracket.

Contact-bank assembly 5, attachedk to return plate 1, supports ten similar contact sets C1 to C10, one for each of the ten armatures A1 to A10. This assembly includes parts clamped between plates 55 and 56 by short screws 50 (see Fig. 6). Bank assembly 5 is underlaid by the control-spring assembly comprising layers of springs 44, 45 and spacers 58, 59 clamped between plate 57 and return plate 1 by a single counter-sunk screw 52. The latter assembly is applied first and secured by screw 52, following which the contact-bank assembly 5 is placed in position over it and is secured by the two long screws 51 which threadedly'engage return plate 1. This construction permits the device to be adjusted for its desired 'sequential counting operation before the contact bank 5 is applied, and therefore while the control blades 44 and 45 are more accessible for individual corrective adjust ment. v-

As best seen in Fig. 2, each contact stackup C1 to C10 comprises four contact blades 62 to 65, a lower normally open pair (a make combination) 64 and 65,V and an up per, normally closed pair (a break combination) 62 and 63. External connections to the contact blades may be made through their rear terminal portions 66 to 69.- Each contact stackup has a cross-shaped actuating member 61 of insulating material secured between its contact blades 62 and 65. The widened central portion of any part 61 passes freely through relatively wide longitudinal slots in stationary blades 63, 64 (seen best in Fig.'4), and the upper and lower portions of any part 61 are received in the narrower longitudinal slots in travelling blades 62, 65, as seen best in Figs. 4 and 5.

Referring further to contact bank 5, comprising parts clamped between the upper and lower clamp plates 55 and 56, it includes the two upper layers of normally closed contact blades 62 and 63 with their-.associatedrinsulatorst73 and 74, the ymetal adjusting plate 79 (with adjustment ears 80) and its overlying and'underlying insulating plates 77, the two lower vlayers of normally open contact blades 64 and 65 with their associated insulators 75 and 76. n

As seen best in Figs. 1 and 4 adjusting plate 79 and the overlying and underlying insulating plates 77 have a generally oblong outline form. The rear portion of these parts is secured within the clamping zone, and the forwardly extending portion encompasses a large window, leaving the front cross portion, such as portion 79 2 of part 79, connected to the clamped portion by ajpair of side arms, which are 79-1 for part 79. The front cr'oss portion 79-2 of plate 79 serves as a backstop to locate the free end of the fixed blades 63 and 64, which are downwardly and upwardly tensioned against insulating members 77, supported in turn by crossbar 75L-2.

The side arms 79-1 of plate 79 extend forwardly t0 terminate in the adjustment tabs 80 which rest on the ends of posts 33, which comprise reduced-diameter upward extensions of screws 32. Accordingly, the level of crossbar 79-'2 and consequently of the free end of fixed springs 63 and 64, may be adjusted to the desired working height by suitably bending adjustment tabs 80. Preferably, the side arms 79-1 are pre-formed with a normal downward slope to provide downward tension against posts 33 in all likely positions of adjustment of plate 79.

.The fiexible traveling blades 62 and 65 are tensioned downwardly and upwardly respectively (as by a preforming operation) against the shoulders of insulating actuators 61, being provided with suitable apertures to receive the reduced end portions of parts 61. Each lower traveling blade 65 is so tensioned upwardly (as by preforming) that, when the actuator 61 is lifted clear by an armature operation, it engages its overlying contact member 64 with vthe desired Contact force. Each blade 62 is more heavily tensioned downwardly to an extent that, in the normal position of the device, it holds the associated traveling blade 65 away from blade 64, while engaging its own fixed blade 63 with the desired contact force. The height, or level, of the forward end of the fixed contact blades 63 and 64 is preferably so adjusted (by bending `the `adjustment tabs 80 as previously referred to) that a small discernable clearance exists between the lower end of each insulating actuator 61 and the upper face of the underlying blade 44, through which actuation of the contact members is effected. This clearance insures that the net downward tension force of the concerned blade 62 is exerted on the illustrated contact points afiixed to blades 62 and 63, as well as assuring that the normal position of the concerned blade 44 is not disturbed.

The terminal members 66 to 69 of blades 62 to 65 are offset right and left to facilitate the chain-wiring of the contact sets C2 to C10 as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 of the parent application. For this purpose, concerned ones of the terminal members 67 and 68 are bent down and up, respectively, as seen in Figs. 2 and 5.

As seen in Figs. 1 and 2, the first armature Al normally stands much nearer to the face of the main tractive pole member 3 than do armatures A2 to A10, the latter standing against respective teeth of the non-magnetic backstop comb 23, and in tractive proximity to the face of restraining pole member 6. As explained more fully in the parent application, these relative normal positions are assumed because (l) each armature A1 to A10 has a lightly tensioned underlying lift spring 45, and (2) each armature except A1 is under the normal restoring force of the laterally offset tip of an overlying spring 44 to restore it fully.

When the first pulse energization of electromagnet 2 occurs, the partly advanced armature A1 operates fully, in a clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 2, until it engages main pole member 3, where it is held residually because of the magnetically hard nature of core 9 of the electromagnet. On operating fully, armature A1, through its tail portion 41, raises the overlying offset control spring 44, thereby mechanically freeing the second armature A2 for preliminary movement out of the restraining influence of the holdback pole member 6, but that movement is delayed magnetically by member 6 until the instant impulse subsides, whereupon the preliminary movement of A1 occurs to mark the end of the first pulse and to condition the armature A2 to respond fully to the second pulse energization of electromagnet 2.

The remaining armatures operate similarly responsive respectively to successive pulses, resulting in the armatures operating successively, and remaining operated by residual magnetism.

As explained in the parent application, the device is restored to normal condition by neutralizing the residual magnetism of core 9 by a mild reversed magnetization of winding 12.

The contact stackup of any operated armature A1 to A10 is actuated through its associated insulating stud 61 to open the upper contact pair and to close the lower. Referring, for example, to the contact stackup of armature A1, as seen best in Fig. 2, when the overlying control spring 44 is raised by the rear tip of A1, it engages the lower end of the associated stud 61 to raise that stud a substantial distance. This stud moves freely in the widened clearance openings (see Fig. 4) in the fixed i contact blades 63, 64, with the shoulders at the upper end of its widened portion raising blade 62 out of contact With blade 63. The lower traveling blade 65, being normally tensioned upwardly against the shoulders at the lower end of the widened portion of 6l, follows the movement until stopped by its contact engagement with fixed blades 64.

As previously stated, it is preferable that the adjust ment of extension tabs 30 of plate 79 is such that a further upward movement of stud 61 occurs after the last noted Contact occurs, thereby insuring that the full tension of blade 65 is exerted against blade 64 for a good electrical Contact, and it is moreover preferable that the small illustrated normal clearance (Figs. 2 and 5) exist between the lower end of any stud 61 and its underlying control spring 44 to insure free normal contact between the associated blades 62 and 63.

The problem of providing fixed support points for the adjustment tabs of plate 79 in the crowded structure, and without requiring a widening thereof, is efficiently met by the described extensions 33 of bracket screws 32 (Fig. 4) each of which passes upwardly between ad jacent armatures.

I claim:

l. In an electromagnetic relay device, an electromagnet, a series of armatures and means pivotally supporting them side by side in a row in operative association with the electromagnet for movement transverse of the row, sets of contact blades and means for supporting them at one end side by side in a parallel row in operative association with the armatures respectively, each set of contact blades including a relatively fixed blade and a relatively movable blade controlled by the associated armature to move its free end into and` out of contact with its fixed blade, an adjusting member extending along the row of contact blades in effective mechanical engagement with each of the relatively fixed blades to determine the location of the contact end thereof remote from their support means, means for adjustably supporting the adjusting member at such a location as to secure the optimum point of contact closure and opening with respect to armature movement, and post-like support means in* cluded in the last said means and extending between adjacent ones of said armatures.

2. In combination, support means and a stackup of at least four contact blades fixed therewith and extending therefrom in general overlying relationship for contact opening and closure at the end of the blades remote from the support means, the intermediate blades being relatively iixed at their said remote end, the first outer blade being tensioned toward the first intermediate blade to maintain the remote end of these blades in contact when such first outer blade is not restrained, an insulating control member extending between the outer blades adjacent to the free end thereof'and normally engaging the inner surface of each to maintain them at a minimum distance of separation in excess of the separation which would permit each to engage its associated inner blade at the same time, the second outer blade being tensioned toward the first outer blade sufiiciently that, when unrestrained, it holds the first outer blade out of contact with the first inner blade and lies in contact with the second inner blade, operating means normally out of contact with said control member, and means for bringing it into contact therewith and for thereby moving it in a direction from the first outer blade toward the second to an extent in excess of that required to bring the second outer blade out of contact and to permit the first outer blade to come into contact with its associated inner blade, said insulating member lifting from the inner surface of the first contact blade upon the lirst outer blade making contact, whereby the remaining movement of the control means is not restrained by such contact.

(References on following page) References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Lundell Nov. 13, 1917 Wagar Aug. 7, 1934 5 Hailes Ian. 26, 1937 Mossman Feb. 14, 1950 6 Bellamy et a1. Jan. 23, 1951 Viol June 12, 1951 Harrison July 24, 1951 Blomqvist Sept. 30, 1952 Koehler Nov. 4, 1952 Vincent July 2l, 1953 Earle Aug. 17, 1954 

